Weihenstephaner White Hoplosion - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

rudzud

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this at the Armsby Abbey.

A - Poured into a Weihenstephen mug a slightly hazy straw hue with a good two finger white head that left thick side lacing and slumped to a nice creamy blanket.

S - Aromas of typical Weihenstephan with bananas, cloves, and faint hops. Not hoppy enough.

T - Taste is classic Weihenstephan with tasty bananas, cloves, light malts. Faint bitter hops to round it out. Needs more hops though.

M - mouthfeel is nice for the style. Solid carbonation. Super drinkable.

O - Overall this was a solid beer from Weihenstephan. Not really hoppy but good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2012 21:03:07 | More by rudzud

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at 38 Degrees Ale House in Alhambra, CA.

Pours a murky light yellow with a foamy white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, yeast, and some fruity aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 06:14:00 | More by UCLABrewN84

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy yellow with good head retention.

It's pretty much a mix between a classic Hefeweizen and a Czech Pils. Wheat malts and German yeast are in the forefront. Some banana and a hint of bubblegum. The kicker are the noble hops in the finish. It has a nice floral quality.

This is by no means a "Hoplosion," which my uneducated American ass assumes is a mix between the words HOP and EXPLOSION. What happened to you Germans? Us Americans really know how to go over the top.

I am not impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2012 00:10:31 | More by justintcoons

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Iron Abbey, Horsham, PA

Poured a pale lemonade yellow, slightly hazy, with a thin white head that laced the glass just a bit. Very light aroma of grains, grassy hops, distant fruit esters. Basic wheat profile on the palate, lemon pith, grassy hops, a touch of funk, pepper and yeast. Not bad, but not great. Light mouthfeel, bitter and a little stinky in the aftertaste, but fairly drinkable overall.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2012 12:28:55 | More by Rifugium

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a hazy looking yellow color with a thin white head on top. The lacing was a little on the sticky side and had some retention to it. The smell of the beer was hoppy with some soft wheat aromas to along with a mild spicy aroma too. The taste of the beer was smooth from the wheat base, the hops come in near the middle and the spices finish this one up. The mouthfeel was soft and had a low carbonation to it. Overall this beer was pretty good, I'm happy to have tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2012 02:04:56 | More by Knapp85

Brenden

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I was thrilled to be able to try this keg-exclusive release recently.

This beer is very pale, really white gold if anything, and clouded. A nice, fluffy pure white head forms on top and stays the entire way, dropping some very nice patchy lacing as it recedes down the glasRight from the bat this is classic Weihenstaphan, not only obviously Belgian but with a particular character I haven't gotten from anyone else. The yeast isn't overdone but adds a layer of complexity to a beer that's essentially like a bigger wit or hefe. Imperial Hefeweizen? Clove, a little banana but not as much as Weihenstephaner, and a big wheat backbone lay over a bit of floral bitterness. It's not as hoppy as the name would leave one to believe, but it's nice.
Where the Belgians succeed in their beers, even if you don't like the particular notes the yeast imparts, is in the feel. White Hoplosion doesn't disappoint there, offering a beer that's crisp and seems light while still deep and even actually medium-bodied, with a lushness anyone can appreciate.
While not exactly exploding with hoppiness, this is a great beer from a great brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2012 17:46:10 | More by Brenden

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a cloudy medium straw hue with a two finger frothy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured light esters and a touch of grassy hop.

The taste consisted of typical esters, chewy wheat malt and a stronger than most grassy hop.

The mouthfeel seemed a bit lighter than the standard Weihenstephan wheat.

Overall a tasty hefe. Not as hoppy as I was expecting however.

Serving type: growler

01-21-2012 21:48:14 | More by plaid75

Gmann

New York

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blind Tiger

Pours a bright but cloudy golden color with a smallish white head.

The aroma is of clovey with light banana, neutral wheat malt.

The taste is clovey and smooth some banana creme. A bit of a wheat edge and a light limey noble hop. It is hoppier than their hefe but it's not hoppy.

Fully feel, quite creamy prickly carbonation. Drinks very well.

Basically a slightly hoppy version of their hefe.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 18:32:10 | More by Gmann

womencantsail

California

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Gourmet Haus Staudt

Pours a hazed golden color with a massive white head. A really nice aroma to this. Definitely hoppy, but the more restrained, German version of the word. Quite floral with a nice spicy note to it. A bit of yeast in there. Sort of like a lager smell to it, actually. A bit of soft bread and malt notes. The flavor is really nice. Somewhat sweet with a nice floral hop flavor. Not very bitter, which is good. Quite crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2012 18:41:02 | More by womencantsail

doopydoogle

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A cloudy golden with good lacing and a creamy head.

S - Banana, clove, citrus, slight hop, wheaty yeasty biscuity goodness.

T - Good blend of traditional wheat beer vibe with a nice bitter citrusy hop profile that complements the character of the brew nicely.

M - Great, creamy carbonation and a pleasant and smooth mouthfeel.

O - A nice new style emerging here. I hope this style gets further developed either here or abroad as it shows a lot of promise.

Serving type: growler

12-06-2011 02:44:14 | More by doopydoogle

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-12-02 at Teresa's in Wayne, PA

A - Slightly hazy pale straw with a 1-finger white head and decent lacing.

S - Little smell in this pub environment. A touch of malt. No banana. Touch of yeast and clove.

T - Getting a little banana to compliment the clove. Dash of lemon. Yeast. Finish with just a touch of bittering from the hops. Light and tasty.

M - Light body and medium-high carbonation. Crisp. Refreshing.

O - Good but not amazing. I'm rather have their hefe on dunkel.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2011 13:49:23 | More by Tucquan

smakawhat

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on tap into a wheat ale glass at Pizza Paradiso Dupont DC.

A great shining orb yellow body, opaque, and just glowing literraly screaming NEON with an almost green florecscent hue along the edges. Head is the typical Weihenstephan creamy white top. It looks spectacular for the style it just doesn't look any better than this.

Nose though is surprisingly basic but good. A creamy lemon going with the standard profile, but an interesting almost sense of tannic nuttines to come. Nothing hop like at all.

Taste is lemon light, with juicy texture, bringing the classic wheat chewiness. Dense grains and malt with a sharp but mild stinging hop presence that does not dominate. In a way the hop profile sort of seems to distract from the other beers greater characteristics.

Overall this isn't that much different from their regular offering, but it is still a real solid enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2011 18:04:23 | More by smakawhat

illidurit

California

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at burger. in Santa Cruz. Hazy opaque straw color with a billowing white head. Around is full of the classic vanilla and banana notes, but there’s a strong apple note along with some floral and mild spice. Creamy banana, clove and nutmeg, and a solid noble hop character with accompanying bitterness. A very well done beer, a little discordant between the creaminess and bitterness, but overall a cool beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2011 00:45:52 | More by illidurit

DoubleJ

California

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

How does Beachwood BBQ get obscure kegs like this? On to the beer:

Looking pee yellow with a fluffy white head on top which lasts and gives good lace. The name would lead you to believe in lots of hops, but you won't get them in the aroma. It smells very spicy with light dabs of lemon. We finally gets some hops in its taste, where the first part is very witbier-like; light lemon and assorted spices. Then the hops kick in and add very grassy elements to the beer.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a beer called "White Hoplosion". It's fine, though I'm more keen of the brewery's traditional weizenbiers.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 16:58:52 | More by DoubleJ

Halcyondays

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a very hazy pale yellow, looks a lot like a wit, but from the information I can find online it is a hefe so I'm adding it as such. Full fluffy white head with good retention and lacing.

S: Lemon predominately with white pepper, grassy hops.

T: Sweet tangy wheat malt with lots of lemon zest. Spicy yeasty character with a noticable grassy hop finish.

M: Light-bodied, with soft carbonation. Very refreshing.

O: Weihenstephaner making a hop pun has rubbed some the wrong way, but it shouldn't get in the way of trying this beer. Very well made, a tasty effort.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 01:44:52 | More by Halcyondays